Why do connection and download speeds vary?

Broadband connection speeds are affected by a variety of factors:
-- the distance of your home from your local exchange
-- contention ratios of the ADSL line (how many DSL users share the local wiring)
-- the quality of wiring in your home or area

Because each member has a different set of circumstances affecting them, they will connect at different speeds.

Furthermore, your connection speed alone is not the only factor affecting download speeds. They can vary greatly depending on the efficiency of the server you're downloading from and the speed of its connection to the Internet.

See also:
-- How can I check the speed of my connection?
-- What is the maximum possible download speed?